Transfer device for adhering shoulder labels to bottles



y 1951 s. T. CARTER 2,983,398

TRANSFER DEVICE FOR ADHERING SHOULDER LABELS TO BOTTLES Filed Aug. 27. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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s. T. CARTER May 9, 1961 TRANSFER DEVICE FOR ADHERING SHOULDER LABELS TO BOTTLES Filed Aug. 2'7, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 z m/ w May 9, 1961 s, CARTER 2,983,398

' TRANSFER DEVICE FOR ADHERING SHOULDER LABELS TO BOTTLES Filed Aug. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 51 Z5072?) BY W j 2 C 4 4 6;

TRANSFER DEVICE FOR ADHERING SHOULDER LABELS T BOTTLES Sidney T. Carter, Shrewsbury, Mass, assignor to Geo. J.

Meyer Manufacturing Co., Cudahy, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 836,496

7 Claims. (Cl. 216-54) This invention pertains to labeling machines more especially to an improved transfer device designed primarily to take a shoulder label from a picker at a transfer station and to apply the-label with firm pressure to the shoulder portion of a bottle, although, as herein illustrated and described by way of example, the transfer device is capable of taking from the picker a plurality of labels, only one of which is a shoulder label, and affix them firmly to a bottle.

In the embodiment herein disclosed the transfer device is of the pneumatic or suction type, such as has come to be known in the art as a grip finger assembly and comprises supporting means for label-contacting pads operative, by suction, to grip the uncoated sides of adhesively coated labels adherent to the picker and remove them from the latter and transfer them to the article to be labeled. The grip finger assembly of the present invention is primarily designed for use in a labeling machine of the kind wherein the articles to be labeled are moved by a conveyor, one after-another in succession along a predetermined path, and while so moving, receive labels from a grip finger assembly located at one side of said path, the grip finger assembly, at times, moving along said path concomitantly with the article to. which the labels are being applied and at the same linear velocity as the article.

A machine of the type just referred to is more fully disclosed in the copending application for Letters Patent Serial No. 551,012, filed by Sidney T. Carter on December 5, 1955, now Patent No. 2,940,630 issued June 14, 1960.

In order to insure the firm adhesion of the label to the bottle, it has been found desirable to hold the label in adhering contact with the bottle for an appreciable period of time, this being particularly true with reference to the shoulder label, since the shoulder portion of the bottle is curved both horizontally and vertically.

An object of the invention is to provide improved and simple apparatus for applying a label to the shoulder of a bottle while the latter is moving uninterruptedlyalong a predetermined path and which is designed to insure firm contact of the label with the bottle.

A further object is to provide an improved grip finger assembly of the suction type, and simple and elfective means associated therewith for applying force to the label-carrying suction pad whereby the label is held in firm contact with the bottle while the latter is moving along a predetermined path.

A further object is to provide an improved grip finger assembly of the suction type and devices associated therewith whereby, while the label-carrying suction pad is in label-contacting position relatively to the shoulder of the bottle and is moving with the bottle along a predetermined path and at the same linear velocity as the bottle,

. positive force is applied to the pad such as to conform the pad to the sloping surface of the bottle shoulder.

A further object is to provide an improved grip finger assembly of the above-named type which moves along a United States Patent 0 predetermined path concomitantly with a bottle while affixing a label'to the bottle, and having devices operative to apply force to the suction pad as it moves along with the bottle to press the label into contact with the shoulder of the bottle, and having additional means for applying positive force to the pad, after the pad has traveled a predetermined distance along said path with the bottle, thereby to increase the pressure of thepad against the label.

A further object is to provide an improved grip finger assembly of the suction type and devices cooperable therewith whereby the label-contacting surface of a suction pad may be disposed in accurately parallel relation to a picker while at a transfer station, and at the same inclination to the vertical as the label-receiving surface of a bottle shoulder when the pad is in label-applying position, and whereby the pad is held accurately in the latter position while the pad moves with the bottle for a predetermined distance.

In the attainment of the above objects, the invention provides, in a labeling machine of the kind above referred to, a fixed horizontal elongate member parallel to the path along which a bottle to be labeled travels, and which is operative, by engagement with a part of the carrier for the label pad, to apply force for holding the label-contacting face of said pad at the same angle of inclination to the vertical as the label-receiving surface of the bottle shoulder while the pad moves concomitantly with the bottle for a predetermineddistance along said I path. 7

The invention further provides a part which engages said pad carrier, after the latter has traveled with the bottle through a fractional portion of said predetermined distance, to apply additional and positive force to the pad carrier for increasing the pressure of the pad against the label.

Other and further objects and advantages ofthe invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description. and by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is'a fragmentary elevation partly in vertical transverse section showing a grip finger assembly according to the present invention arranged at one side of the article conveyor, the grip finger assembly being shown in full lines in the label-affixing position and inbroken lines at the transfer station at which it receives labels from the picker;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation looking from the right-hand side of Fig. 1 showing the upper portionof the grip finger assembly with the shoulder pad; I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation, to larger scale than Fig. 1 and partly in vertical section, showing, in further detail, the means for adjustably supporting the normally stationary bar which positions the shoulder label pad carrier as the latter moves along the conveyor path with the bottle to be labeled; i

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the picker, illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 1, showing in dotted linesthe position of the body and shoulder label pad carriers relatively to the picker blades and labels as the pad carriers stand atthe transfer position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view, but omitting many of the parts shown in Fig. 1', showing the grip-finger assembly as having nearly approached the lable-applying position and at the instant at which the carrier for the shoulder label pad is; beginning to swing downwardly toward label-applying position;

Fig; 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation, to larger scale than Fig. 1, showing the carrier for the'shoulde'r label pad separate from other parts; and Fig. 7 isa fragmentary diagrammatic endelevation,

details of the support for portion ofthefr'ame' disclosed in the' copending application for LettersPatent Serial No. 551,012; 'T. carter, said frame supporting various parts,'including bearin'gsfor the' main" shaft S upon which are'mounted aesasiea filedDecember 5, 1955, by'Si'dney -cams. (not shown) 'for actuating those elements of'the achi'ne which" go through a predetermined cycle once for-each rotation of the shaft S in functioning to apply a label. Onlyone s'ide' of the machine is shown in Fig. 7, although his tobeunde'rstood' that if the machine is to apply labels simultaneously to opposite'sides of an article, the machine'will'be provided with label-applying devices at both sides of the conveyor path. As" shown in Fig. 7,.a conveyor'C, which may be of conventional type, is so driven asto move the article to be labeled, for example, the bottle A,u'ninterruptedly alonga predetermined path through the several zones in which successive labeling operations take place.

As shown inFig 7, the machine comprises a gumlbox f Gjc'ontaining' a gum-elevating roll E which supplies gum to a corresponding transfer roll, E which is carried by aro'cking lever L 'so as to transfer gum from the roll E to the surface of the picker P. This picker is desirably of the type more fully disclosed in the patent to Carter 2,414,019, January.7, 194-7. The picker P receives a coating of gum from the transfer roll E while the blades of the picker are closed, and the picker is then swung so as to contact its gummed surface with the endmost labels in the magazine (not here shown), thismagazine havingcompartmerits 'for .body and shoulder labels, respectively. The picker blades then open, while contacting the endmost label in the magazine compartments, 1 thereby spreading the gummy adhesive, and it then swings back to thetransfer position shown in broken lines in ,Fig. land in full lines in Fig. 7, its relatively movable blades'remaining separated, as illustrated in Fig. 4. With the picker .blades in this separated condition and with the end portions only of hte labels L and L, respectively,

adhering to the respective blades at the transfer station,

the label-contacting faces of the blades are disposed in a plane which inclines downwardly and toward the vertical plane defined by'theaxis of the bottle as the latter approaches the position where it is to receive the labels. As shown in Fig. .7, the transfer station, represented I by the full-line position of the picker P, is spaceda substantial distance from the bottle which is to receive the labels. While the picker P dwells in the position shown in Fig. 7, the grip finger assembly F is moved in a counterclockwise direction so as to contact. its labeltransfer pads P, and P with the labels L and L, re-

spectively, the grip finger assembly then continuing its upward motion to the left as viewed in Fig. 7, carrying the gummed labels with it and eventually pressing the .labels into contact with those portions of the bottle surface which are to receive them, while the picker returns for the reception of a fresh coating of gum.

It may be noted that the machine in which the grip finger assembly of the present invention is to be employed is one in which the bottles to be labeled move, one after another in succession, along a predetermined path and receive the labels while they are so moving.

While a single grip finger assembly is here illustrated,

. it may be understood that if the machine be designed to .apply labels to a plurality of articles simultaneously, then .in that event the, machine will comprise a plurality of label magazines corresponding in number to thenumber .of articles, to bellabeled simultaneously, and there will be grip'ffinger" assembliesf and pickers for transferring labels from each of the respective magazines.

Ashere illustrated, the grip finger assembly F is secured k at its lower end to 'a' rock-arm M (Fig.1), which is fixed .4 I to. a shaft K (Figs. 1 and 7), this shaft being arranged to rock and also to move endwise in suitable bearings, one of which is indicated at B (Fig. 7). Any suitable means, receiving its motion from the main shaft S, may be employed for imparting these motions to the rock shaft, for example, such means 'as' ismore fully disclosed in the copending application Serial No. 551,012 above referred to. I

As here illustrated, the gripfinger assembly F is pro- .vided with two label-applying pads Pand P respectively, the pad P being designed to apply the shoulder label to the bottle, and the pad P being designed te -apply the body label. 7 Since the present invention is primarily con cerned with the means for applying the shoulder label, detailed description of the means for applying the body label is omitted, it being understood that for applying the body label, a label-applying pad and carrier therefor,

"generally similar to that shown in the copending appli- .cation of Sidney T. Carter, Serial No. 815,878, filed May 26, 195 9, may be employed. Whatever the specific means for applying the body label, it may be understood that the pads P and P will be provided with suction orifices or ports of customary type, and that suitable means (not here shown), for example, an air pump and automatically actuated valves, will establish suction at these ports at the proper time in the cycle to enable the pads to grip the labels andremovethem from the pickers, the suction at these ports beingbroken at the proper time in the 'cycleto permit the pads to leave the labels in adhering contact with the bottle while the grip finger assembly returnsto' the transfer station.

The grip finger assembly desirably includes a casting which is secured to the rock-arm M in any desired-"man- 85 her, and which supports brackets in which is mounted a shaft 27 .(Fig. 1), forming a pivotal axis for a lever '29,

' this lever being of rigid construction and having the carrier Z for the body'label pad P secured thereto. To

" the outer'side of this lever 29, near its upper end, there is attached a bracket'member 32, preferably by bolt-andslot connections so'that the bracket'may' be moved'up and down for adjustment; 'and'. to the upper endofthis bracket, bearingmember 36a (Fig. 5) are attached'in which are mounted the ends of a shaft 37 on which is pivotally mountedthe carrier Z 'for the shoulder'label pad P. 'It will be understood that the rock-arm M and the' lever'29 and associated parts constitute a' movable support for the padcarrier Z such that the latter moves bodily along and parallel with said path, at timesjand also rocks toward and from said path.

This carrier Z as more fully shown in Fig; 6, has a flatsur'face to which the pad P is secured. The pad P, as is customary in apparatus of this type, is of resiliently yieldablernaterial, such as rubber, and is attached to the carrierin any conventional way. The carrier Z has a shoulder 100'(Fig. 6) having a lower surface 101, which, at times, contacts the bottom of a slot N (Fig.2) in the upper end of the bracket 32. A coil spring S embraces the shaft 37 and exerts pressure against the pad carrier Z tending to turn the latter in a clockwise direction so as to keep the surface 101 in contact with the bottom of the slot N. r

The pad carrier Z is provided with a recess 102 (Fig. 6) in'its lower part which receives a freely rotatable roller 103, and "the carrier Z also has a cam face 104 for a purpose hereinafter described.

In Fig. l, a hold-down device H is shown as engaging the top of the bottle in order to prevent the bottle changing its position after having been oriented preparaholdfdown is supported by fixed angle bars H and H the latter having a horizontal flange H which, as-rnore illustrated'jn Fig. 3, is provided with a vertical "screw threa'ded bore which" receives-an externally screwthreaded sleeve 105 which may be turned for adjusting it upwardly or downwardly, and which is held in adsupports, either as an integral extension of the part 110 sufiicient to provide the desired afiixing of the label to the shoulder surface.

At the end of the travel of the grip finger assembly longitudinally of the conveyor path, the assembly is or as a separate part, an elongate abutment member 111,

here shown (Fig. 3) as circular in transverse section and which extends horizontally a substantial distance along the conveyor path. The length of this abutment member or bar is at least as great as the length of the path of travel of the grip finger assembly along the conveyor path while holding the label in contact with the bottle. As shown in Fig. 3, pins 112 and 113, extending through openings in the member 108, engage washers 114 and 115 at the upper and lower ends of the sleeve 105 and thus prevent axial motion of the member 108 relatively to the sleeve. In order to preventthe part 108 from rotating about its own axis, the upper end of the member 108 is provided with a transverse opening which receives a pin 116, the left-hand end of which, as viewed in Fig. 3, extends through a slot in the member H By this means it is possible to adjust the abutment bar 111 upwardly or downwardly and to retain it in adjusted position while the axis of this member 111 remains accurately parallel to the conveyor path at all times.

The horizontal flange H is provided with another opening which receives a bolt, by means of which a bracket member 117 is secured to the part H this bracket having a substantially horizontally lower portion 118 which is provided with a screw-threaded opening for the reception of a stud on which is mounted a freely rotatable roller 119 (Fig.1).

In the operation of this device, and assuming in the first place that the picker and grip finger assembly occupy the relative positions indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1,

which is the transfer position, it will be noted that the label-contacting faces of the shoulder label pad P and the body label pad P are accurately aligned and in the same plane so that both of these pads may make gripping contact with the labels L and L', respectively, supported at this time by the picker.

As indicated in Fig. 4, the blades B and B of the picker have been separated so that only the ends of the labels are adhering to the picker blades, the inner edges of the blades being so spaced as to permit the pads P' and P to pass between them. From the transfer position the-grip finger assembly now moves upwardly in a counterclockwise direction, taking the labels from the picker, until it reaches a position such, for example, as indicated in Fig. 5, where the body label pad P has nearly contacted the bottle A. At this time the roll 103, mounted on the carrier Z for the shoulder label pad P, has come into contact with the abutment member 111 and has lifted the surface 101 of the carrier Z from the bottom of the notch N in the bracket 32 and has swung the carrier Z in a counterclockwise direction in opposition to the spring S so that the pad P is approaching the shoulder surface D of the bottle. Further movement of the grip finger assembly to the left, from the position of Fig. 5, moves the shaft 37 bodily to the left, but since roll 103 is now in contact with abutment rod 111, the carrier Z will swing until the pad P' brings the shoulder label into contact with the bottle shoulder. The parts remain in this position while the grip finger assembly initiates its motion longitudinally of the conveyor path, and when the assembly has reached approximately the mid-point of its travel in this direction, the cam face 104 of the carrier 2 engages the roll 119, as shown in Fig. l, the surface 104 being so shaped that by contact with the roll 119 the carrier Z is urged further to the left by additional and positive force tending to press the label more firmly into contact with the bottle. However, un-

swung away from the bottle, and while in its retracted position is moved backwardly along the conveyor path to its initial position in readiness for the repetition of the cycle by means such as more fully described in application Serial No. 551,012 above referred to.

By the arrangement above described, it is possible to apply the shoulder label firmly and securely to the sloping surface of the bottle shoulder, even though the surface may not be as smooth or regular as it should be theoretically. It will be noted that the pressure applied in aflixing the label is a positive pressure and not merely a spring pressure, so that the label is pressed into firm contact with the shoulder surface of the bottle.

While one desirable embodiment of the invention has herein been illustrated and described by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inelusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for applying a shoulder label to a bottle while the bottle is being moved uninterruptedly by the conveyor along a predetermined path, and wherein a suction pad receives a shoulder label from a picker at a transfer position and affixes it to the shoulder of the moving bottle, and wherein a movable support for the pad carries the latter from the transfer position to a label-affixing position, means operative to move the support, after the pad has taken the label from the picker, to an affixing position adjacent to the bottle, and wherein the pad support, when in the last-named position relatively to the bottle, moves bodily concomitantly with the bottle along said path for a predetermined distance, in combination, substantially unyielding means operative positively to hold the pad in label-afiixing relation to the shoulder surface of the bottle while the support is moving along said path.

2. In a machine for applying a shoulder label to a bottle while the bottle is being moved uninterruptedly by a conveyor along a predetermined path, and wherein a suction pad receives a shoulder label from a picker at a transfer position and afiixes it to the shoulder of the moving bottle, and wherein a movable support for the pad carries the latter from the transfer posit-ion to a label-affixing position, means operative to move the support, after the pad has taken the label from the picker, to an afiixing position adjacent to the bottle, and wherein the pad support, when in the last-named position relatively to the bottle, moves bodily concomitantly with the bottle along said path for a predetermined distance, in combination, substantially unyielding means operative positively to hold the pad in label-affixing relation to the shoulder surface of the bottle while the support is moving along said path, and means operative to increase the pressure exerted by the pad after the support has traveled along said path for a predetermined distance.

3. In a machine for applying a shoulder label to a bottle while the bottle is being moved uninterruptedly by the conveyor along a predetermined path, and wherein a suction pad receives a shoulder label from a picker at a transfer position and afirxes it to the shoulder of the moving bottle, and wherein a movable support for the pad carries the latter from the transfer position to a label-afiixing position, means operative to move the support, after the pad has taken the label from the picker, to an afiixing position adjacent to. the bottle, and wherein the pad support, when in the last-named position relatively to the bottle moves bodily concomitantly with the bottle along said path for a predetermined distance, having means so connecting the pad and the pad support gate surface which extends parallel' 'to said path, and

merfiheries-the pd 'support nears thelabel aflixing positibmi'posit-ively tdtilt the/pad into operative relation to *the bottle shoulder.-

4; A" machine accordifigto claim 3; further characterized in hauling a;-pad-carrienpivotally connected to the support to1"d :k about an axis parallel tothe conveyor "said?path'aoperatiirefiasthe'support moves along the r'ith, byconthctWiththeI pad-carrieryto hold-the pfid in label-adhering" relation to the shoulder of the corrtict with said rail moves the pad into label-aflixing positibfi "relatively to the shoulder surface of the bottle --against-the bottle.

and holdsait in lsuch position whilethe supporL-ismov- 1 ing with" the bottle.

=6. Awnaehine according to claime wherein; slaidfixed TaflyiS-pf a length at least as greatas the distance through which the support travelsalongsaid path,- a vrdllercnthe 7. A machine a'ccmdingrtov c1aim'6; further characterizedin thatthe actuatbr, which contactsthe camfielement cn the pad-carrier is a roller which turns about a --fi ed vertica1 agis located -at a paint intermediatet he ends of the'travel of the'support 'alo ng sid path 'Re'ferenceCited intthe' file bf'this patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS 'Schiemet eta1. .1 July 13; "-1954 Fairestet al. Oct; 13} 1959 

